Equipment for deoiling swarf resulting from machining operations

Abstract

Equipment for deoiling swarf resulting from machining operations including a deoiling centrifuge and an endless conveyor for supplying the swarf to the centrifuge. The conveyor has a support and sliding surface for the swarf with a grating through which the swarf falls for transfer to the deoiling centrifuge but through which foreign bodies are prevented from passing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating equipment for deoiling swarf resulting from machining operations comprising the steps of: conveying the swarf along a conveyor to a separation station having a grating;   allowing smaller swarf to pass through the grating but conveying larger swarf further along the conveyor;   then moving the smaller swarf to a deoiling apparatus;   deoiling the smaller swarf; and   discharging the deoiled swarf.   
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of moving the larger swarf to a collection apparatus. 
     
     
       3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said separation station includes a plurality of parallel transverse plates which are disposed in a hole in a support and sliding surface of the conveyor and are inclined forwardly at an acute angle to the advance direction of the swarf. 
     
     
       4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of, prior to said conveying step: moving the swarf along another conveyor having another separation station having another grating;   separating the swarf by allowing some of the swarf to fall through the another grating and moving the remaining swarf away from said another separation station;   crushing the swarf that has been conveyed from said another separation station;   bypassing said crushing step for swarf that passes through the another grating; and   moving both the crushed and bypassed swarf to said conveying step.   
     
     
       5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said another separation station includes a plurality of parallel transverse plates which are disposed in a hole in a support and sliding surface of the conveyor and are inclined forwardly at an acute angle to the advance direction of the swarf. 
     
     
       6. Equipment for deoiling swarf resulting from machining operations, comprising: a deoiling centrifuge,   an endless conveyor for supplying the swarf to the centrifuge,   pneumatic means for discharging the centrifuged swarf,   the conveyor having an ascending conveyor pass and including a pair of motor-driven chains, a support and sliding surface for the swarf associated with the ascending pass and a top region for discharging the swarf by dropping the swarf towards the deoiling centrifuge,   wherein, near the top region, the support and sliding surface of the conveyor has a grating through which the swarf can pass towards the deoiling centrifuge.   
     
     
       7. Equipment according to claim 6, further comprising collection apparatus associated with the top region of the conveyor, downstream of the grating, for collecting the material which has not passed through the grating. 
     
     
       8. Equipment according to claim 6, wherein the grating is formed by a plurality of parallel transverse plates which are disposed in a hole in the support and sliding surface of the conveyor and are inclined forwardly at an acute angle to the direction of advance of the swarf. 
     
     
       9. Equipment according to claim 6, further comprising: a crusher with superposed contrarotating crushing rollers disposed upstream of the conveyor, and   a container associated with the crusher and including a base constituted by an endless horizontal feeder including a pair of motor-driven chains and a series of transverse bars which interconnect the chains,   the feeder including a conveyor pass, a support and sliding surface which is associated with the conveyor pass and on which the swarf can slide towards the crusher, and a return pass beneath the conveyor pass for transferring the swarf to the conveyor,   wherein the support and sliding surface of the feeding has a further grating upstream of the crushing rollers so that small swarf can pass directly onto the return pass of the feeder.   
     
     
       10. Equipment according to claim 9, wherein said further grating is formed by a plurality of parallel transverse plates which are disposed in a hole in the support and sliding surface of the feeder and are inclined forwardly at an acute angle to the direction of advance of the swarf.